Valve support



L. H. WELLENSIEK VALVE SUPPORT Aug. 20, 1929.

Filed Sept. 23, 1926 FIQB - XWZ/ZMM Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

a valve and means to support sai LOUIS 1 mmsmx, or nousron, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR r0 HUGHES r001. comm,

-- or nous'ron', Texas, a conromrron or rnxas.

V VALVE surronr. Application filed September 2a, 1928. Serial Ilfo. 187,826.

My invention relates to'support for valves employedflin well drilling operations. It is particularly designed for use on core dr lls where valves are employed, at the upper end of the core barrel to prevent washing of the In drilling-wells it is common practice to employ a float valve when the drill stem is introduced into the well. Said float valve is arranged in the drillstem to close upwardly and-prevent the flow of the liquid in the well hole upwardly into the drill stem as the drill stem is lowered. The empty drill stem, when submerged, is buoyed up by the liquid in the hole. This-has the effect of supporting some of the weight of the drill stem, and of reventing the necessity of supporting the ull'weight in the derrick. The float valve is so called because it assists in floating the drill stem'into the hole.

It is an object of my invention to rovide which will enable the float valve to be used also inthe core barrel of the drill where such a core barrel .is used.

It is desired to support the valve resiliently so that it may be held from position upon the u per end of thecore barrel, where it would close said barrel. The valve sup ort holds the valve releasable, however, enab ing 'the wellto be washed before the drilling is started and-the ball dropped to core barrel closing position.

, The invention enables the valve to be used also as a float valve when desired, although ithas important application in coring operations where a float valve is not used".

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a broken vertical section through a drill stem and illustrating the use of my invention on a core drill, and as a float valve. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the valvesupport and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section throughsaid support. In Fig. 1 I have shown the upper end of the drill pipe section 1. There is a core barscrewed within the block 3 which closes said core barrel exce t for a central opening 4 the upper end of which is flared at 5 to provide a valve seat for the ball valve 6.

Where. a float valve is used, it may be positioned at any desired distance above the drill. I have shown the float valve as formed within a tool joint as a housing. The lower .between their ends to valve,-

duced into the hole.

box member 7 of the joint engages the pifpe 0r 1 at its lower end. The threaded box 8,

the socket or box 8. Flat spring plates 12 are secured upon the upper face of the flange 11 S a1d plates are extended downwardly within the sleeve and are bowed inwardly form a resilient seat 13 for the ball valve 6. The said spring arms 12 engage the valve with a predetermined force to hold it fromdropping, it being contemplated, however, that fiushingfluid pumped downwardly with sufiicient force will dislodge the valve, through-the seat 13 and 5 of the core barrel.

fall within the seat lVhen the valve is to act-as a float valve also, a valve seat 14::is screwed within the passage 15 through the pin member 9 of the -j'oint. The lower end of the valve seat is shaped to receive the valve 6 andsaid valve 5 35 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

causing it to drop will therefore close the passage through the seat when the drill stem is submerged 1n the flushing fluid, while the drill is being intro- In the use of my device the parts will be assembled as shown in' Fig. 1, and while the drill is being'introduced into the hole, 'the valve' 6 will close the .mud and detritus. When the parts are cleaned, additional .force upon the flushing fluid Wlll force the valve 6 from the retaining springs 12 and the valve will then drop to close the core barrel and the water wi find passage downwardly through the ,opening 16 at the side of the plug 3. rel 2 therein,'the upper end of which is The device may be easily attached in an desired joint of the pipe with little modification and will make it ssible to wash the core barrel and drill fore a core is taken even when a float valve is desired.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: I i

1. The combination with a core barrel sure.

its upper end, of a valve adapted to fit said seat, and resilient means to hold said valve from said seat with a predetermined pres- 3. The combination with a core barrel having an upwardly directed valve seat at its upper end, of a valve and a means releasable by water pressure to hold said valve from said seat.

4. The: combination of a drill stem, a core .barrel therein having a valve seat at its upper end, a float valve seat in said drill stem above saidcore barrel, a valve, and means below said float valve seat to hold said valve releasably adjacent thereto, whereby said valve may close said float valve Seat from passage of fluid upwardly therethrough, said valve being adapted to close said core barrel when released by said means.

-5. The combination of a core barrel having a downwardly closing valve seat at its upper end, an upwardly closing float valve seat above said core barrel, a valve between said seats adapted to fit both of said seats and means to hold said valve releasably below said float valve seat.

6. The combination of a drill stem, a core barrel therein having an upwardly directed 1 valve seat at its upper end, a valve above said seat, and releasable means to hold said valve from said seat comprising spring plates bowed inwardly to form a seat for said valve, and adapted to release said valve responsive to a predetermined fluid pressure ,from above.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 13 day of Sept. A. D. 1926.

LOUIS H. WELLENSIEK. 

